Tom Brady might be one of the best bargains in the NFL.
Strangely enough, the New England Patriots quarterback is also among the highest earners.
The reason for the dichotomy: Brady is a high-value player when you compare his compensation to the success he brings to his team.
The same, however, cannot be said of all the players in the top 10 list of highest-paid NFL players.
A list of the highest-earning NFL players in 2016 based on salaries and endorsements combined before the 2016-2017 season is dominated by experienced quarterbacks such as Brady.
The average annual NFL salary is $2.1 million, but salaries are a small portion of what NFL players earn, as their contracts also include annual signing, roster and workout bonuses, as well as other incentives. On top of that, many star players also receive multimillion-dollar endorsement deals.
The largest NFL contract in history was signed by Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts after this list was compiled—Luck will earn a $12 million salary in 2016 as part of a five-year, $140 million deal that guarantees him a record $89 million.
A list of top salaries alone in the NFL would include even more quarterbacks like Green Bay’s Aaron Rogers, Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisburger or Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, all of whom have recently signed high-salary contracts..
Nevertheless, eight of this top 10 are quarterbacks, and just one is a defensive player.
10. Drew Brees - Total Earnings, $31 million
The superstar New Orleans Saints quarterback is slated to earn $19 million in salary and bonuses, $12 million in endorsements total in 2016. The Saints are paying Brees a base salary of $17.3 million.
So far this season, the Saints have four wins and four losses, enough for second place in the NFC South Division. Brees has completed 70 percent of his passes this season, gaining a total of 2,689 yards through the air and scoring 21 touchdowns.
In 2016, New Orleans has paid Brees $4.3 million per win and $824,000 per touchdown.